Separator.



B. LONG.

SEPARATOR. APPLIOATION FILED we. 24, 1910.

Patented Mar. 14, 191 1.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WJTNESSES.- INVENTOR.

6% QW Qalump 4 wTORNEY.

B. LONG.

SBPARATOR. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 84, 1910.

986,581. Patented Mar,14, 1911.

a SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNE s5:-

UNITED srarns Parana onnion.

BENJAMIN LONG, OF

BOULDER, COLORADO.

SEPARATOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN LONG, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Boulder, in the county of Boulder and State ofColorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSeparators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in ore separatorsand its object resides in the provision of a mechanism of simpleconstruction by which the value-bearing particles of pulverized ores orplacer sand are speedily and cleanly separated from thenon-metalliferous matter with which they are associated. I attain thisobject by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings in thevarious views of which like parts are similarly designated and in whichFigure 1 represents a plan view of the apparatus, Fig. 2, a sideelevation of the same, Fig. 3, an enlarged end view of the drum in whichthe ore is treated, Fig. 4, a vertical sect-ion through the drum takenalong the line 44, Fig. 3, and Fig. 5, a fragmentary perspective view ofthe launder by which the wash water is introduced into the drum.

Referring to the drawings by numerical reference characters, 2designates a rectangular frame upon which the various parts comprised inthe improved separator, are supported. A hollow, cylindrical drum 3disposed between the side-beams 4 of the frame, is, by means of twocircular rails 5 which are secured upon its circumferential surface,revolubly supported upon four flanged wheels 6 which are mounted inpairs upon parallel axles 7. The axles 7 are rotatably supported inbearing boxes 8 on the side sills 9 of the frame 2 and they areconnected to rotate in unison, by means of an endless chain 10 whichengages with sprocket wheels 12 on the respective axles.

In the operation of the apparatus a rotatory movement is imparted to oneof the axles 7 through the instrumentality of a cone pulley 13 whichbeing secured upon said axle, connects by means of an endless belt 14with a corresponding pulley 13*, which is reversely mounted upon a lineshaft 15 supported in boxes 16 upon the side beams 4 0f theframe. Asecond shaft 17, which is mounted in boxes 18 on the up- Specificationof Letters Patent.

Application filed August 24, 1910.

- rights 19 of the frame,

Patented Mar. 14, 1911. Serial No. 578,651.

carries two pulleys 20 and 21, one bf which is connected by means of abelt 22 with a conveniently located motor while the other connects bymeans of a belt 23 with a. pulley 24 on the shaft 15.

The axle 7, opposite to the one which carries the cone pulley 13, isprovided with a sprocket wheel 25 which connects by means of an endlesschain 26, with a corresponding wheel 27 on a shaft 28, which is mountedin boxes on the beams 4. This shaft 28 carries near one of itsextremities, a toothed wheel 29 for the operation of an inclined,endless conveyer 30 through a trough 31, which at its upper extremity,connects with an oppositely inclined chute 32. V

The material to be treated is elevated by the conveyor to the upper endof the chute 32 which, by means of an angularly directed spout 33 at itslower extremity, discharges it into the interior of the drum at a pointin its bottom portion, rearward with relation to the direction in whichthe drum revolves.

The drum 3 is provided at its feed-end, with an inwardly extendingcircular flange 34 which prevents the material from spilling over itsedge and it is lined with a sheet of rubber 35, secured upon a backingof wire netting 36 which is fastened upon the interior surface of thedrum, between the end.

During the operation of the apparatus, wash-water is continuouslyintroduced into the interior of the drum at is forward side, by means ofa plurality of horizontally alined nozzles 38 on a launder 39 whichextends transversely through the drum. The jets of water emitted throughthe nozzles 38 impinge upon the inner surface of the drum along a linesomewhat above the horizontal plane flowing downwardly along saidsurface, meets the mass of ore which, during the movement of the drum inthe direction of the arrow in Fig. 3, adheres to the rubber lining andmoves upwardly toward the line along which the water impinges upon thesame.

While the downwardly flowing water washes the light worthless mattercontained in the ore toward the bottom of the drum, the heavier valuableconstituents thereof, adhere to the rubber at the forward side flange 34and a ring 37 at the discharge extending through its axis, and thewater' the;axle:43 near its extremities, are,like=the of the same fromwhere they are subsefluently removed through the instrumental- 1ty of anappliance which, at a predetermined point in the revolution of the drum,

intercepts the flow of water along a linev between the bottom of thedrum where the ta lings are collected and the portion of its surface-towhich the values adhere.

The appliance above referred to which after it has dammed the flow ofwater, re-

.ceives the values precipitated thereby, and conveys them to a pointbeyond the discharge .endof the ,drum, consists of a-V- shaped trough40, articulately secured by meansof hinges 41, atthe lower end ofaninclined frame 42, which at its upper Iextremity .is pivotally mountedupon anaxle 43, .which is rigidly securedupon the side beamst4: ofthesupporting structure .2, above ..and ;in vertical 'alinement with theaxis of 1.;hetrough'40 is resiliently held inits normal' po i on in whici ss o ardedge .40 i 1 .naoedzf om t interior surface of the .d-mmahymea s o .a. a p ng- 44, the up- ;perrend of :whiohis secured to oneof-the cross-straps of the skeleton iframe 42, and the normal angle ofinclination of 'the latterQi-s determined by means of a stop-.rod

.at ;-the glower en'ds of two.-hangers .46 :which ar vipivota v securupo t outer u face Of the beams 14.- and which engage with pines? inseted. in one f-a series of horizontally alined apertures 48intheoutersurfate :ofs aid be m .By transposing the .pins 47 from one.of

' the.;=3;pertures;481 to another,-.the =angle of inolination of the;=frame"42 and in consequence the position of the trough .relative :tothe horizontal plane passing through -:the axis of :the drum, ,may beNaried :to' adapt the apparatus -=for :the treatment of difierent kindsof ores.

ilwo levels .49, -.which .are -.-fulcrumed upon 7 framer42,fnormallysupported uponithe stoplevers -49.

. rod L45 and "their lower extremities engage the .rearmost surface ofthe trough 4O forv the purpose of moving the latterflabout its axis .ofarticulation, when .it is desired to bring its forward edge 40 inengagement with :gthe interior surface of :the drum.

' "The above described action is automatirespective levers 49 .and whoseupper ends ese,5s1

extend loosel into the respective sleeves. Stops 56, a justably fastenedupon the beams 4, serve to prevent excessive movement of the levers 49.

As the operation of my improved ore separator has been referred to atintervals in the course of the foregoing description, it will only benecessary to outline it briefly at this point.

lVhen the drum is rotated in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3,.bythemovement of the wheelsG upon whichit is supported thc water flowingdownwardly along its interior SllIfiLCBlIlTthG opposite direction, searates, ashereinbeforeexplained, the .valua le particlesfrom theworthless constituents of'the upwardly moving mass of material which wasintroduced into the drulnth'rough the spout at the end of the chute 32.Once during each revolution of .the 1 drum 2, .the levers -49 are movedabout their fulcrum, by

the engagement of the tappets 50 with:thc rollers 51.at;-their upperends, and t hesavings-trough, 40 isin consequence movedabout its hingeson the iframe 42,, until itsafonward edge 40* frictionally ,engagesqthe;r,-ubberlining of thedrunitointereept the downward flow of thewash-water introduced into the drum throughzthe nozzles 38 ;of {thelaunder 39. During the continued moVemenbOf the drum, the-trough 40 is,by reason, of--i ts ifrictional engagement with ,the .r ubb er..lini,ng.andthe yielding connectionrbetweenithe rollers 51 .and :the respectivelevers 49, moved upwardly toward the line along which the jects ofwash-water impinge upon the interior surface of the (drum, until;'tl1e'- tappets .50 disengage the rollers, when the spring 44 returnsthe trough to its normal position. andthe frame .42 'deseendsby; forceof gravity upon ithe stoprrod .45.

{Fhe waluable particles of the ore collected upon the surface of thedrum above .the trough 4:0,;31'6 during vthe ;above described operationwashed into the latter and {discharged into a receptacle placed belowthe end of ,thetrough which protrudes beyond the 'discharge'endof .thedrum as shown in Fig. 1-of-the drawings.

It-will be understood that-by the proper adjustment of the .stop 45,;andthe .applicationof more than ,one tappet at each end of the. drum, theposition .ofthe (trough 40, the extentof its-movement, and the number ofits operations duringeach revolution 'of the drum, may be ,varied in.accordance with the character of the materialtobetreated.

The upwardly moving conveyer 30,.separates the muddy :water from thematerial before it is fed into the drum, and the material isconsequently treated. only with clear water which greatly facilitatesthe process of separating the values contained therein from the gangue.

Having thus described .my inyentiomwhat I claim and desire to secure byLetters-Patent is 1. A. separator comprising a rotating drum, means forfeeding material thereinto, means to effect a flow of water along theinterior surface of the drum opposite to its direction of rotation, areceptive appliance adapted to intercept said flow by engagement withsaid surface and to move with the drum when thus in contact, and meansto intermittently actuate said appliance by the movement of the drum.

2. A separator comprising a rotating drum, means for feeding materialthereinto, means to effect a flow of water along the interior surface ofthe drum opposite to its direction of rotation, a trough normally spacedfrom the interior surface of the drum and adapted to move into contactwith its interior surface to intercept said flow, and means tointermittently move said trough during the operation of the drum.

3. A separator comprising a rotating drum, means for feeding materialthereinto, means to effect a flow of water along the interior surface ofthe drum opposite to its direction of rotation, a receptive applianceadapted to intercept said flow by engagement with said surface and meansto automatically actuate said appliance at a predetermined point in therotation of the drum.

4. A separator comprising a rotating drum, means for feeding materialthereinto, means to effect a flow of water along the interior surface ofthe drum opposite to its direction of rotation, a trough normally spacedfrom the interior surface of the drum and adapted to move into contactwith said surface-to intercept said flow, a lever adapted to actuatesaid trough, and a tappet on the drum to actuate the lever during its rotatory movement.

5. A separator comprising a rotating drum, means for feeding materialthereinto,

' means to effect a flow of water along the interior surface of the drumopposite to its direction of rotation, a trough normally spaced from theinterior surface of the drum and adapted to move into contact with saidsurface to intercept said flow, and means on said drum to intermittentlyactuate said trough, during its rotatory movement.

6. A separator comprising a rotating drum, means for feeding materialthereinto, means to effect a flow of water along the interior surface ofthe drum opposite to its direction of rotation, a trough normally spacedfrom the interior surface of the drum and adapted to move into contactwith said surface to intercept said flow, and to move with said drumwhen in contact therewith, and means to intermittently move said troughduring the operation of the drum.

7. A separator comprising a rotating drum, means for feeding materialthereinto,

means to effect a flow of water along the interior surface of the drumopposite to its direction of rotation, an articulately supported troughadapted to engage with its forward edge the interior surface of thedrumwhen moved. about its axis of articulation, and means tointermittently effect said movement during the rotation of the drum.

8. A separator comprising a rotating drum, means for feeding materialthereinto, 3'10 to effect a flow of water along the interior surface ofthe drum opposite to its direction of rotation, a pivoted frame, atrough articulately attached at one end thereof and adapted to engagewith one of its edges, the interior surface of the drum, when movedabout its axis of articulation, and means to intermittently move saiddrum into contact with said surface, and to subsequently move said frameabout its pivotal axis, during the rotation of the drum.

9. A. separator comprising a rotating drum, means for feeding materialthereinto, means to effect a flow of water along the interior surface ofthe drum opposite to its direction of rotation, a trough normally spacedfrom the interior surface of the drum and adapted to move into contactwith said surface to intercept said flow, a lever engaging said troughwith one of its arms, an extension yieldingly connected with itsopposite arm and a tappet on the drum to intermit tently engage saidextension during the rotatory movement of said drum.

10. A separator comprising a rotating drum, means for feeding materialthereinto, means to effect a downward flow of water along the interiorsurface of the drum opposite to the direction in which it rotates, anaxle extending transversely through said drum, a frame pivotally mountedon said axle, a trough articulately attached at the end of said frame,normally in spaced relation to the interior surface of the drum, meansto yieldingly maintain said trough in its normal position, a leverfulcrumed on said axle in operative engagement with said trough and atappet disposed on said drum, to periodically move the said lever aboutits fulcrum whereby the trough is intermittently brought in contact withthe interior surface of the drum.

11. A separator comprising a rotating drum, means for feeding materialthereinto, means to effect a downward flow of water along the interiorsurface of the drum opposite to the direction in which it rotates, aswinging frame, a trough articulately attached at the free end thereof,normally in spaced relation to the interior surface of the drum, aspring to yieldingly maintain said trough in its normal position, alever in operative engagement with said trough, and a tappet disposed onsaid drum to periodically -move the said lever aloout its fulcrum where"by the; trough is intermittently @brought in lately-,-attached at' thefree end thereof, norinallydn: spaced relation to the interior surfaceof the drum, a spring to .yieldingly maintain said trough in itsnormalposition,

a lever in operative engagement with said trough, a tappet on the drum,to periodically move the said lever about its fulcrum, whereby :thetrough is intermittently brought in contact 'vvithithe interiorsurfaceof the drum,-- and an adjustable stop tosupportsaid frame and said leverin' their po- 7 sition's of rest.

;l3. A separator comprising ,a rotating drum, means for feeding materialinto the lower portion thereof, :a Water. supply disposed to-efle ctadownward flow'of water a longthe interior surface ofsaid drum at itsupwardly moving aside, .--.a receptiyenappliance normally spaced fromthe sand Sur- ;face below saidr supply, and :a: mechanism to bring thesaid appliance;intermittentlyiinto contact with the said :surface tointercept saidflow.

14. A separator comprising ';a rotating drum, means for -E feedingmaterial into 1 the lower portion thereof, a '.water ::,supply:zdisposeduto effect a downward flow-of'water along; the 1 interiorsurface of said szdrnimaat its upwardly 1T1OVlIlg Sl.,d6,*& receptiveappliance normally-spaced from thesaid surface below said supply, amechanism to bringthe said appliance intermittently into contact withthe said surface to intercept saiddiow, and means for adjustingthegnorma-l position of thesaid"appliance'wvhereby the position oftheylinewalong which ittengages the drum, may? be varied.

ilnytestimony whereof; I; {affix my signature in presence ofitwowitnesses.

BEN JA'MIN LONG.

Wit-nesses G. .J. :ROLLANDET, 'F. H. CUNO.

-,Oopies-tof this patentmayjbexObtained for fiVe cents eachbytaddressing the Commissioner of ratents,

WaShing'tomD. G.

